Wearable, mobile and/or portable computer terminals are used for a wide variety of tasks. Such terminals allow workers using them to have mobility, while providing the worker with desirable computing and data-processing functions. Furthermore, various terminals provide a communication link to a larger, more centralized computer system. Such terminals are being implemented for an ever-increasing number of tasks.
One illustrative example of a specific use for a wearable/mobile/portable terminal is inventory management. Computerized inventory management systems are used in inventory-driven industries for various tasks, such as food and retail product distribution, manufacturing, and quality control. An overall integrated management system involves a combination of a central computer system for tracking and management, and the people who use and interface with the computer system in the form of order fillers, pickers and other workers. The workers handle the manual aspects of the integrated system.
To provide an interface between the central computer system and the workers, wearable/mobile computers or terminals are used by the workers as they complete their numerous tasks. Such wearable terminals, for example, pull information directly from the central system and translate the information into voice or text commands for the workers. Through wireless RF networks, the commands to and responses from the workers are communicated between the system and the terminals. To communicate in a voice-driven system, for example, the worker wears a headset which is coupled to his wearable terminal. Through the headset, the workers are able to receive voice instructions, ask questions, report the progress of their tasks, and report working conditions, such as inventory shortages, for example. Using such terminals, the work is done virtually hands-free without equipment to juggle or paperwork to carry around.
In addition to headsets, other peripherals are often coupled to the terminals depending upon the tasks to be performed. For example, bar code readers and other scanners may be utilized alone or in combination with a headset to communicate back and forth with the system.
An illustrative example of a job through a system utilizing wearable and/or portable terminals having voice capabilities may involve initially welcoming the worker to the system and defining a particular task or order, for example, a load to be filled for a certain truck to depart from a warehouse. The worker may then answer with a particular area (e.g., freezer) that they will be working in for that order. The system then vocally directs the worker to a particular aisle and bin to pick a particular quantity of an item. The worker then vocally confirms their location and the amount of items that are picked. The system may then direct them to a loading dock or bay for a particular truck to receive the order. As may be appreciated, various different scenarios might be played out through a system using a wearable terminal and attached peripherals.
In its operation, a wearable terminal utilizes operational software which controls how it performs for the worker or user and how it interfaces with the central system. Such terminal software often has a large set of parameters and features which must be controlled on a per-user basis. Those parameters include, for example, voice templates, user-specific voice models, volume preferences, text-to-text speech preferences, etc. Therefore, each worker who is to wear and use a particular terminal will have to traverse through a series of sometimes complex and cumbersome menu options to select the desired user configuration. Such an exercise is usually error prone and is certainly time consuming and therefore inefficient. Furthermore, when the terminal is used by another worker on a different shift, it will be configured for that worker and will then have to be re-configured for the original worker, assuming that they even get their original terminal back for use.
It is also desirable to ensure that an approved headset is being used. At many sites, the workers are required to maintain their own headsets, and possibly any other personal peripherals. This is done for several reasons. One of those reasons is to encourage careful use and maintenance of the hardware and peripherals by assigning individual responsibility to the worker. Another reason, particularly in the case of the headset, is to promote sanitary hygiene practices.
There is thus a need to improve the efficiency of the workers who utilize wearable and/or portable terminals to interface with a central system. There is further a need to improve customization of peripherals used by specific users. Specifically, it is desirable to reduce the errors and time associated with configuring terminal equipment for each specific worker. It is also desirable to further improve the management, tracking and maintenance of such terminal equipment.